Turnbull Government criticised for not congratulating ICAN on Nobel Peace Prize, ABC News 10 Dec, 17 By Europe Correspondent James Glenday in Oslo, Norway Anti-nuclear activists have attacked the Turnbull Government for not formally congratulating an Australian-born group, which will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway later today.

Key points:

The UN treaty banning nuclear weapons remains opposed by all nuclear powers and many of their allies

Anti-nuclear activist Sue Coleman-Haseldine says the Government “should be ashamed” for not congratulating the group

Australia has long argued banning the bomb outright will not lead to any meaningful reduction in nuclear weapons

But the document is somewhat symbolic because it remains opposed by all nuclear powers and many of their allies — NATO and Australia, for example, have fought against it.

“The Government should be ashamed of themselves [for not congratulating the group],” South Australian Indigenous anti-nuclear activist Sue Coleman-Haseldine said.

“Australians helped win this.

“They [the Government] could have said ‘Congratulations — even if I don’t agree with you’. They could have said that. But they haven’t………

Karina and Rose Lester, daughters of the late Yankunytjatjara Elder Yami Lester who went blind after British nuclear testing in South Australia in 1950s, said they were proud an Australian organisation would win the Nobel Peace Prize.